1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lawn care apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus especially adapted for converting a snow thrower into a lawn care apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Snow throwers are useful devices that are used to clear sidewalks and the like of snow. A snow thrower generally includes a motor, a wheeled support for supporting the motor, an auger powered by the motor, and a support for the auger. Unfortunately, in some locales, snow does not occur very often, and the snow thrower is not used often during the year. In this respect, it would be desirable if a snow thrower could be adapted to be used during times when not needed for throwing snow.
As mentioned above, a typical snow thrower includes a wheeled support for supporting the motor and a support for the motor-driven auger. Many land-treating machines also employ a wheeled support and a support for supporting a land-treating tool. With this in mind, it would be desirable if the wheeled motor support and the support for the auger could be used for supporting other land-treating tools besides a snow thrower auger.
During the seasons of spring, summer, and autumn, people are often concerned about treating their land and lawn. Land-treating tools that are used for treating land generally and lawns specifically include spiked aerator rollers and smooth, water-ballasted rollers. In this respect, it would be desirable if a snow thrower could be adapted to be used as a spiked aerator roller and a smooth, water-ballasted roller.
For a snow thrower that is adapted to be used as a spiked aerator roller and a smooth, water-ballasted roller, it would be desirable that a common connector be provided on the auger support for interchangeably supporting a spiked aerator roller and a smooth, water-ballasted roller. In this respect, it would also be desirable if each of the spiked aerator roller and the smooth, water-ballasted roller be provided with a complementary connector that is interchangeable with the connector on the auger support.
Some snow throwers employ their motor to drive the auger only. Other snow throwers employ their motor to both drive the auger and propel the device along a path. The later type of snow thrower is a self-propelled snow thrower. Similarly, a spiked aerator roller and a smooth, water-ballasted roller can be self-propelled. In this respect, it would be desirable if a self-propelled snow thrower could be adapted to become a self-propelled spiked aerator roller or a self-propelled smooth, water-ballasted roller.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to land-treating devices, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,455,398; 3,739,856; 3,794,121; 5,020,602; and 5,101,910.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,398 discloses an attachment for a power lawnmower that utilizes the engine of the power lawn mower for a rake and a lawn aerator. The attachment includes a gear box adapted to receive power from the motor of the lawn mower. Generally, the normal drive of a power lawn mower provides power to a vertically oriented shaft onto which the lawn mower blade is attached. The gearing in the aforementioned patent permits conversion of the power from a vertically oriented shaft to a horizontally oriented shaft. Such a mechanism is a complex device. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided which permitted a snow thrower to be converted to a lawn-treating device without using a mechanism for converting a vertically oriented power shaft to a horizontally oriented power shaft.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,739,856, 3,794,121, 5,020,602, and 5,101,910 disclose aerator attachments for self-propelled, motor-driven tractors. Generally, tractors include seats and relatively powerful motors and are not suitable for snow throwing. The above-mentioned patents make no disclosure of converting a snow thrower to lawn-treating use.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use lawn care devices, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a snow thrower to lawn care conversion apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) can be adapted to be used during times when not needed for throwing snow; (2) can be used for driving and supporting other land-treating tools besides a snow thrower auger; (3) used as a spiked aerator roller and a smooth-water-ballasted roller; (4) provides a common connector on the auger support for interchangeably supporting a spiked aerator roller and a smooth-water-ballasted roller; (5) provides a complementary connector on each of the spiked aerator roller and the smooth-water-ballasted roller that is interchangeable with the connector on the auger support; (6) can be adapted to become a self-propelled spiked aerator roller or a self-propelled smooth, water-ballasted roller; (7) permits a snow thrower to be converted to a lawn-treating device without using a mechanism for converting a vertically oriented power shaft to a horizontally oriented power shaft; and (8) provides hardware for retrofitting a snow thrower into a lawn-treating device. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique snow thrower to lawn care conversion apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.